In a significant legal development, Cavan Medlock, a self-proclaimed Nazi sympathizer, has been found by a jury at Kingston Crown Court to have undertaken preparations for a terrorism-related attack on an immigration law firm, Duncan Lewis, in London. This incident, which occurred back in September 2020, became the center of attention following reports that Medlock was motivated by an article published in the Daily Mail, which discussed the firm’s involvement in handling immigration cases.
Medlock’s actions were both alarming and premeditated. Armed with a knife and a Nazi flag, he tried to launch an attack inside the law firm’s offices after being denied entry to meet with a solicitor. His conduct was so disturbing that it prompted senior lawyers to lobby then Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel to reconsider the inflammatory language used publicly regarding lawyers working in the domain of immigration law. The rise of extreme right-wing groups has manifested in a troubling trend of violence and threats directed towards legal professionals.
During police interrogations, Medlock confessed to selecting the law firm and its head of immigration law as targets after they were referenced in a Daily Mail article a mere three days prior. While the jury’s decision was not a criminal conviction, it represented a factual resolution of what transpired on that day. It’s important to note that a trial of facts occurs when a defendant is unable to stand trial due to mental health issues, yet there is a pressing need to resolve the case. Medlock’s previous trial in March was halted after he experienced a severe mental health episode.
This incident, which took place on September 7, 2020, when Medlock was 27 years old, escalated dangerously after he entered the law firm seeking to see the head of its immigration law team. After a lengthy wait, he brandished a six-inch knife and lunged at a receptionist. Fortunately, staff members were able to disarm and subdue him until the authorities arrived. Medlock’s aggressive declarations included intentions to kill the solicitor he initially sought to meet.
The chaos revealed underlying ideological motives, with Medlock expressing explicit support for genocide, while his belongings revealed a Swastika flag, signifying his allegiance. Notably, he expressed his intentions to create a threatening scene by flying the Nazi flag in the firm’s window as a “rallying cry” to other nationalists. During police interviews, he warned of what he termed a “white genocide” and proclaimed that acts of violence were a natural progression in the absence of political action.
Prosecution lawyer Timothy Cray KC emphasized that Medlock had not merely committed an impulsive act but had contemplated disruptions intended to intimidate a particular segment of the population. The optics of a Nazi-flying terror attack in London would undoubtedly spark public outrage. Such actions symbolize a broader societal issue where extreme views worm their way into public consciousness underpinned by ongoing media narratives.
Amidst this backdrop, the Daily Mail defended its investigative journalism as being in the public interest, stating that no support had been issued for violence or terrorist acts. However, the broader discourse surrounding comments from government officials concerning “activist lawyers” and immigration clearly served to amplify the already inflamed rhetoric. As the Bar Council and other bodies warned, incendiary language from those in power carries significant weight, fostering an atmosphere where hostility towards legal professionals becomes normalized.
Representatives from the legal profession have increasingly flagged that Medlock’s attack was a precursor to a worrying trend, further exacerbated by the politicization of immigration issues. Following this incident, there have been notable threats against multiple law firms and legal practitioners, which underscores the enduring ramifications of divisive rhetoric and the importance of protecting individuals who uphold the rule of law against such pernicious ideologies.
